HEALTH + WELLNESS photos and story by Erin Daniel
"This set of foundational postures is physically strengthening, lengthening, and energetically grounding. The next time you’re short on time, give these six postures a try!" - Bridget Hearne
As the dust settles from the busy holiday season, you’re probably thinking about your laundry list of New Year’s resolutions. If we had to guess, they fall along the lines of exercising, eating healthier, sleeping more, and developing better routines. Instead of placing unrealistic expectations on yourself, we encourage you to approach 2022 with Balance - see what we did there?! Balance Yoga, located at 152 S. Dargan Street in Downtown Florence, opened its doors on October 1, 2021, with the mission to promote physical wellness and mental clarity through creative movement and energetic practices. We asked Bridget Hearne, owner of Balance, to share some of the benefits of yoga, and here’s what we learned: “Yoga offers so many benefits beyond physical health! In addition to strength and flexibility, a consistent, balanced yoga practice can promote mental calmness & clarity, reduce stress, and clear energetic blockages & imbalances! Also, it just makes you feel good!”
WARRIOR 2
PHYSICAL WELLNESS & MENTAL CLARITY
Standing with your feet together at the top of your mat, take a big step back with the left leg, pointing your toes to the long edge of your mat. Keeping the right toes pointed forward and the shoulders stacked over the hips, bend deeply into the front knee, and extend the arms. Set your gaze softly over the middle or ring finger. Take 7 breaths.
TIP: Avoid allowing the right leg to collapse in and keep the energy of your knee pressing out towards your pinky toe.
As with any practice, consistency is key. “One of my teachers told me a long time ago that a consistent five minutes a day is better than five hours crammed in once a week. I took that advice to heart, and during seasons of life when I couldn’t make it to a studio, I practiced the foundational postures at home. Along with meditation and breathwork, that simple routine had such a profound impact on my daily wellbeing both mentally and physically. I can’t encourage folks enough to take just five minutes a day to move their body intentionally and breathe with awareness.”
For more information or to sign up for your class, head to Facebook and Instagram @balanceyogaflo. 36
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January 2022
SIDE ANGLE
Whether you’re brand new to yoga or have fallen out of your routine and ready to step back on the mat, Balance offers a variety of classes that will have you achieving goals this year – both physically and mentally!
From Warrior 2, keep a deep bend in the front knee and drop your right forearm down to the top of your leg. Avoid collapsing through the torso and into the right shoulder. Reach the left arm up and overhead, feeling length all along the left side of the body. Take 7 breaths.
TIP: Press the feet down into the mat and away from one another, like you’re trying to rip your mat in half!
